In a touching demonstration of natural behavior, elephants at the San Diego Zoo were videotaped creating a ‘alarm circle’ to protect their young during Monday’s 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Southern California.
The earthquake struck at about 10:08 a.m. outside San Diego and was registered as far north as Los Angeles by the US Geological Survey.As the tremors shattered glass and rattled furniture in homes across the region, the elephants responded with calm but with quick coordination.
When the ground began shaking, five adult elephants instinctively circled their enclosure in the middle, with the calves in the center to shield them from injury. The San Diego Zoo posted a video of the incident, which has gone viral, showcasing the protective nature of the herd.
Watch here:
Stronger together 🐘
Elephants have the unique ability to feel sounds through their feet and formed an “alert circle” during the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that shook Southern California this morning. This behavior is a natural response to perceived threats to protect the herd. pic.twitter.com/LqavOKHt6k
— San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (@sandiegozoo) April 14, 2025
The zoo provided context on why the elephants might have detected the tremors first, writing on X: “Apart from their enormous ears, elephants possess a special gift for hearing through their feet.”
Characterizing the herd’s reaction, the zoo wrote, “Instinctively, the five-member crew of gentle giants walked close to the center of their pen and created an ‘alert circle’ around the youngest members of the crew.”
This defensive posture, the zoo continued, is a common elephant response to a threat. “The behavior is part of a response against ‘perceived threats to protect the herd,'” they continued.
Once the shaking had ceased, the elephants slowly opened up their circle but kept close to each other for some time, making sure the environment was secure.
The emotive clip has won hearts on the web, with audience members hailing the elephants’ instinctive motherly care and solidarity in the face of impending danger.
